


Emotions topple strategy

by kooky500



Series: Kooky's Kinktober/Whumptober 2020 [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Betrayal, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Established Relationship, Fear, Ironwood's semblance is dumb so I'm taking some liberties with it, James Ironwood's hero complex, M/M, Qrow is trying so damn hard, Violence, Volume 7 (RWBY)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:34:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27256519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kooky500/pseuds/kooky500
Summary: In a universe where Qrow and Ironwood were lovers, what if Qrow was the one to try and talk some sense into James, instead of Oscar?Written for Whumptober Day 2 Prompt: Falling
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood
Series: Kooky's Kinktober/Whumptober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952446
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	Emotions topple strategy

“So, you’ve turned on me now too.”

Qrow let out a scoff, accompanied by a disbelieving shake of his head. “We’re on the same side here, James. Or at least I thought we were,” His expression screwed up into a sneer, unable to keep the venom out of his voice. “Thanks for that arrest warrant, by the way. _Real_ touching.”

James narrowed his eyes in a poor attempt to hide the way his throat tightened at the betrayal in the other man’s eyes. Even before the other man had become his lover, James could think of only one other time he’d seen such an expression on Qrow’s face, and that had been when it was put there by Oz. He never would have imagined he would see it directed at him someday. Deep inside of his chest, a hunk of metal clenched tightly.

“You gave me no choice,” James quietly glanced away as he spoke. Even to his own ears, those words rang hollow. Empty, _like a man made of metal._ _I did it to protect you;_ he wanted to scream at the other man. He wouldn’t risk losing Qrow, even to his own recklessness. 

“There’s always a choice, Jim,” Qrow shot back darkly as he blinked back a sudden wetness in his eyes. _Is that really what I am to you, Jimmy? Just some common criminal?_ “Now you’re starting to sound like _him_ ,” He spat. “Do you even realize what you’re saying? What you’re doing?”

“I’m doing what is necessary-“

“By leaving thousands of people to die!” Qrow shouted, stomach rolling at the words. He turned away, bile rising in his throat as he realized he no longer recognized his own lover. Light, who the hell was the man in front of him? Because it sure wasn’t James Ironwood. It wasn’t the man he’d fallen in love with. Perhaps it hadn’t been for a while now. “Weren’t you one who swore to keep those people safe?” He whispered, hating the way his voice shook. “The James I knew never would have hated running away like this. He would never have been such a damn coward.”

“You don’t get it; none of you do,” Ironwood shook his head. At his side, his hands clenched into fists. “You aren’t seeing the big picture here, Qrow. If Salem gets her hands on the relic, she will kill _far_ more than those down in Mantle. Is that really the better alternative in your eyes? You want to risk Salem slaughtering several million just so that a few thousand can live? And how long do you think before she kills them too? A day? A week?”

“Listen to yourself! You sound like a damn lunatic.”

“And _you_ are wrong! You and your children,” James pressed his lips together, looking at his lover for what felt like the first time in months. Qrow’s throat tightened at the weariness in the other man’s face, cursing himself for not having seen it sooner. “They don’t stand a chance against her, Qrow. None of us do.”

“Just because they’re wrong doesn’t make you right,” Qrow snapped. The man’s shoulders seemed to slump then, like the full-weight of Remnant itself was bearing down on him. Tiredness overcame him, a bone-weary exhaustion, and if James didn’t know any better, he might even say- 

“You’re out of aura,” He said, eyes widening at the realization. His blood chilled in his veins. He’d known Qrow for years, decades even, and in all that time, he’d never once seen the other man entirely out of aura like this. What if it had been just a bit more? _What if I’d lost him?_

Qrow snorted. “Yeah, real brilliant observation right there.”

“I- but _how?”_ _Did I do this?_ He’d ordered Qrow to be arrested, yes, but not for the man to show up half-dead. Had his guards done this? No, surely not, James reasoned. Qrow wasn’t likely to be bested by a couple of Atlas guards. But then who? Or _what?_

“Clover took care of most of it. Gave me a hell of a fight when I refused to come quietly,” The younger huntsman wouldn’t meet his gaze when he spoke. “He’s dead now. Because of you and that so-called ‘plan’ of yours.” 

_Because of me,_ Qrow refrained from adding, biting down on his tongue so hard he tasted copper. _Because I made a stupid fucking deal with a damn psychopath._ But then again, who was it that forced him into that situation in the first place? Light, he pressed the palms of his heels against his eyelids, trying to erase the image of Clover’s lifeless face from where it was burnt into his retinas. 

That finally seemed to get a reaction out of the other man, as James stiffened, his eyes widening the slightest bit. He froze, as though trying to decide whether or not Qrow was lying. It couldn’t be true, could it? Clover was one of the strongest huntsmen he knew; James had chosen him to be the leader of the Ace Ops for that exact reason. He couldn’t be dead. He just couldn’t. 

But James had never known Qrow to lie, not about something like this.

“I- I didn’t know,” James pinched his lips at the words. It seemed so surreal to imagine that the same man he’d talked to mere hours ago was _dead._

Somewhere, Qrow scoffed at his response.

“Of course, you didn’t.” _Too damn focused on trying to be the hero, you never even realized when you became the villain._

James squeezed his eyes shut. Part of him didn’t want to ask, but he had to know.

“How did he-?”

Qrow’s jaw tightened. “Callows. The bastard got loose while in transport, took care of what little aura I had left, and managed to get the drop on Clover. Nearly killed me, too, while he was at it.”

And that was answer enough. By the tightening of his expression, Qrow figured James knew what he meant. 

All over again, Qrow’s blood boiled. James had no right to look that sorrowful, not when _he_ was the one who’d caused it in the first place. If it hadn’t been for him and his damn paranoia leading to that warrant, Qrow never would have had to team up with Tyrian against Clover in the first place, and this wouldn’t have happened. Yet even now, he couldn’t help feeling sorry for the other man. _Damn you, James._

The younger huntsmen straightened, ignoring the way each of his limbs felt several tons heavier at the motion, and reached for Harbinger. 

“I’m not letting you do this, James.” _I can’t let you get to that relic. I can’t let you abandon those people._

James sighed, his chest tightening. He deliberately ignored the wetness prickling at his eyes. 

“I don’t want to fight you, Qrow.” _Please, don’t make me. Not you too._

There was no humor in the bark of laughter that left Qrow’s throat, the sound an odd, broken noise that tugged at everything within James. It wasn’t right that such a noise should belong to someone like Qrow, who’d already lost so much. And for what? A war they couldn’t possibly hope to win?

The other man shook his head. 

“Listen to you, Jim. Salem isn’t even here yet, and she’s got you scared shitless. And you think this plan of yours will stop here?” He scoffed. “I’ve seen what she can do. If she wants that relic? There is nowhere she won’t find it.”

“We’ve been over this. If we can get the relic out of her reach-“

“There _is_ no out of her reach!” Qrow shouted, gesturing wildly with his arms. “Don’t you fucking get it? Salem has eyes everywhere and an army of Grimm at her beck and call. Being a couple more thousand feet in the air won’t stop her.”

“Maybe not,” James admitted. “But, it will buy us time.”

“Sure, time for Salem to kill even more than she already has and for you to pretend to give half a shit,” Qrow sneered. _What if I was down there?_ He wanted to ask, but knowing James, it wouldn’t make a difference, anyway. The knife in his chest twisted. “By abandoning Mantle, you’d be letting her divide us.”

“I can’t sacrifice the relic for the sake of morality.”

“Then she’s already won. Because without morality, what's even left to separate you from her?”

Ironwood stiffened as he struggled to find a response to that one. All the while, Qrow’s stare dug a hole into him. The same stare that once greeted him in the mornings and that he looked forward to seeing at the end of each day. 

How long had it been since he woke to Qrow’s form pressed against him and the scent of fresh coffee tickling his nose? He remembered how content he was just to lie there and watch his lover sleep. The coffee would always be cold by the time they finally got up in the late hours of the morning, and they’d inevitably have to brew another pot, but James never minded because it wasn’t as though there was anything that required his immediate attention, anyway. 

It seemed like a lifetime ago, those days. James never stopped wishing they could go back to them.

James faltered, unable to come up with an answer to Qrow’s question because he didn’t have one. What _was_ left? _Justice,_ something inside him whispered, _righteousness, victory._ But was victory worth the cost if there was no one even left when this was all over? 

_No, I’m trying to save us-_

_But for how long? If I abandon Mantle, Atlas will be alone up there, with no one to help us against Salem. We’ll be overrun by Grimm within months-_

_It’s better than nothing-_

_By leaving the people of Mantle to die in vain? Is it really?_

Too late, James recognized the faint buzz dancing along his skin, his awareness fading away like sinking into a pool of warm water. _No_ , he begged as his semblance threatened to overtake him. His heart climbed into his throat.

Everything happened in slow motion.

James was distantly aware of his arm lifting, watching helplessly as he leveled Due Process at the man in front of him. He saw, more than felt, his own finger pull the trigger.

The bullet went straight through Qrow’s chest. The younger huntsman’s eyes flew wide, glancing at the hole in his chest and then at James.

There was no betrayal in those eyes, seemingly only bitter resignation and undeserved affection.

Awareness hit James like a ton of bricks. _No. Please._ He dropped his gun like he’d been burnt, acid rising in the back of his throat. He couldn’t think, barely even dared to breathe. _Please, you can’t die. I-_

With his metal arm, James reached out, moving towards Qrow to grab him. He was too late, and as his lover’s legs swayed like thin branches, the fluttering of dark lashes against pale cheeks was the last thing James saw of Qrow before he tumbled backward off the platform and was lost to the pitch-black chasm below. 

James had never known regret like he did in that moment.

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't hate me. Or if you do, feel free to tell me all about it in the comments, or on my tumblr, over at; steel-and-silver.tumblr.com ❤


End file.
